For the arts in Hong Kong, 2015 was year of firsts, friction, departures and delay

The M+ Museum of Visual Culture at the future arts hub was delayed again, and both museum and hub lost key leaders; the MTR was accused of bullying musicians, and China’s slowdown hit auctions

Reading Time:3 minutes

One of British sculptor Antony Gormley’s life-size "Naked Man" sculptures stands on a roof in Central. Photo: Reuters

Published: 8:01am, 23 Dec 2015Updated: 8:00am, 23 Dec 2015

2015 has been an eventful year for the city’s art scene. The future M+ museum made the biggest headlines for a series of unsettling developments. The MTR Corporation drew fire for its cackhanded approach to commuting musicians. And then there was the not so unexpected correction in the auction markets. There were some bright spots, too, courtesy of some of the city’s most persistent art promoter.

The M+ museum of visual culture on the West Kowloon reclamation is now expected to open in 2019.

1: M+ opening delayed, again

The future museum for visual culture promises to be the best museum Hong Kong’s ever seen ... when it eventually opens. In May, M+ announced that the museum building “should be” ready in the fourth quarter of 2018, with a public opening of the venue set for late 2019, which is some two years later than originally scheduled. Meanwhile, Asia’s other aspiring art hub wows the world with its new national gallery.

Read the news report on M+ here.

2: Lars Nittve to step down as executive director of M+

Next month, Lars Nittve is leaving Hong Kong and M+, the institution he has done so much to lay the foundations for. He will stay on as a consultant, but the founding director of the Tate Modern museum leaves big shoes to fill.